A Florida man was arrested after he was caught stealing over 100 loggerhead sea turtle eggs on Jupiter Island beach. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission stated the man was immediately detained when he was spotted by Wildlife officials poaching sea turtle eggs.
The 49-year-old man was identified as Glen Shaw, a Tequesta’s resident. He was arrested on Friday by The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) officers for allegedly taking over 100 eggs from female loggerhead sea turtle. FWC received some information about a suspect poaching sea turtle eggs at Jupiter Island beach.
The man allegedly took the eggs behind a residence located on the beach after the turtle laid them on the sand. Shaw faces a third-degree felony charge and faces stiff penalties. He remains in the Palm Beach County jail on a $3,000 bail.
Increased surveillance along the Jupiter Island beach for turtle eggs robbery
The FWC received last week reports about possible turtle eggs robbery along the Jupiter Island beach. FWC biologists alerted the commission to keep the eyes on a possible suspect who was spotted before stealing loggerhead sea turtle eggs from a home at the Jupiter Island beach.
Patrols were then increased to catch the man with the hands in the cookie jar. On Friday, officers were on the beach with night vision goggles when they spotted a man along the beach near Ocean Drive at about 10:30 p.m. The suspect, later identified as Glenn Shaw was poaching eggs from a female loggerhead sea turtle as it laid them on the beach.
Officers reported that When Shaw recognized authorities, he tried to walk away carrying out a bag full of eggs. Officers immediately stopped the suspect and Shaw, as part of a last attempt, started burying the eggs in the sand.
Wildlife officers immediately arrested Shaw. The alleged was in possession of 107 turtle eggs. Investigators took 15 eggs from those stolen by Shaw as evidence and for DNA testing. The 92 other eggs were re-buried by Fish and Wildlife biologists and officials. It is expected the re-buried eggs will hatch later this year.
Glen Shaw was booked into the Palm Beach County Jail with a bail was set at $3,000. So far, there is no information about if he is going to pay the bond or if he has an attorney already working on his case.
FWC officers feel thankful for those individuals who reported Shaw’s actions and they affirm they will continue protecting endangered species from further harm. Officials added they have recently increased patrols to monitor illegal activities in the area.
“Protecting Florida’s natural resources is something we take seriously, and we’re thankful that this individual was prevented from doing further harm to this imperiled species,” FWC Captain Jeff Ardelean said in a statement.
Loggerhead Sea Turtle
The loggerhead turtles originate from the northwest Atlantic Ocean, the South Atlantic Ocean, and the Mediterranean Sea. The Caretta (scientific name) is commonly known as loggerhead by its exceptional large head.
Apart from having a rounded head, the loggerhead sea turtle has thick, strong jaws. Its carapace is a heart shape, and it is bony without ridges. Adult loggerhead turtles weight between 155 and 375 pounds and their size is commonly 2.5 to 3.5 feet in carapace length.
These turtles prefer to feed in coastal bays and estuaries. Shallow waters along the continental shelves of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans, have also been considered as their habitat. This sea turtle is omnivorous. Loggerhead’s diet in mainly composed by shellfish living at the bottom of the ocean. Their powerful jaw muscles allow the loggerhead to crush the shellfish’s carapace. This marine turtle also eats clams, mussels, horseshoe crabs, and any other kind of invertebrates.
The loggerhead sea turtle nests at intervals of 2 to 4 years. Per season, it lays 3 to 6 nests, with an average between 100 to 126 eggs in each nest. The incubation period for loggerhead eggs is about 60 days. However, the nesting of this turtle currently faces a significant threat because of coastal development, predation of nests, and human disturbances during turtle hatching.
Beachfront fireworks also may cause disorientation and disturb during nesting periods. The loggerhead eggs are also vulnerable to several terrestrial organisms. Even if the eggs achieve the hatching, young loggerheads are the prey of many predators.
The loggerhead sea turtle is currently listed as a threatened species. It has great possibilities of becoming endangered shortly. The loggerhead is under the protection of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. Incidental loggerhead fishing has been registered as the main cause of the turtle’s death.
Source: NBC News